In his cooking series, Denver’s Nick Massie prepares meals showing how to apply the CrossFit dietary prescription of meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar. In this segment, Massie explains how to prepare and serve tuna two different ways: seared and tartar.

“If you guys are scared of fish or if you think you don’t have time to cook, then this ought to prove that wrong because it’s incredibly simple,” Massie says.

For the tartar presentation, no cooking is even required. Massie chops the ingredients and mixes them together with tamari sauce and sambal oelek. Only the garlic requires special preparation: you finely chop it, add salt and then smear it with the side of the knife.

“It really accentuates the flavor of the garlic by pulling out all the oils, releasing all the oils, but then it also makes it into a paste so you don’t get like a garlic chunk. You get the garlic flavor but no chunks,” Massie says.

For the seared tuna, Massie seasons fresh tuna steaks, sears them on each side, and, after resting, slices them thinly and carefully so they don’t tear. Finally, Massie finishes the seared tuna with some toasted sesame oil.

At the end of this series of shows, Massie asks his audience for future direction.

“Now we’re looking to you guys for feedback,” Massie says.

Use the comments section to tell our CrossFitting chef what you think of his fine cuisine and what you might like to see him prepare in the future.

In his cooking series, Denver’s Nick Massie shows how to apply the CrossFit dietary prescription of meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little starch and no sugar. Today’s… Continue Reading

In his cooking series, Denver’s Nick Massie prepares meals showing how to apply the CrossFit dietary prescription of meat and vegetables, nuts and seeds, some fruit, little… Continue Reading

67 Comments on “Cooking With Nick Massie: Tuna Two Ways”

1

wrote …

Nick,
Great videos and great recipes, thank you for sharing.

A few questions:
1) Can you add fresh lime juce to the tuna tartare to give a little acid?
2) Did you ad oil to the pan prior to searing your tuna?

I made your Tokyo slaw but added red cabbage, pulled chix and avacado, it was awesome.

Wow! these are my favorite videos when they come up! We have tried a few and they are new favorites. My wife suggests something more complex for those with more cooking experience and background. I am always looking for something new that has a breakfast feel to it aside from the usual. Nick, great work!

This was absolutely one of the best series on the CF Journal. My wife and I have added several of the recipes to our weekly rotation. The series works because of Nick's ability to make everything look super easy and approachable. Take the tuna recipes, we would have never tried that in a million years. Now its already on the grocery list for next week.

Potential ideas for future episodes include easy snacks to take to work, salad dressings and sauces, more kitchen skills and tools, posted recipes, and a Cooking Cert.

AWESOME NICK!! I have made every recipe so far and they have all been great! I have made Kalua pig for years being from Hawaii and especially like your take on the AHI 2 ways! I have put the Ginger Thai dressing on everything! Keep them coming!! By far one of my fav pieces on the Journal!!!

Last, winter is coming, and my biggest temptation is comfort foods, which are usually heavy and fattening. What are some alternatives that you might cook for the cold season? Do you have simple dessert recipes using fruit, for those with a sweet-tooth?

Love the videos. Keep them coming. Been trying to get my wife to participate in crossfit for a couple years now. One Nick Massie video and shes hooked. We've tried many of the recipes and loved them all. And as far as feedback desserts sound good also more shopping ideas. Whatever ya got, thanks so much.

I love this series. I especially love the Hawaiian and Asian inspired recipes. Being from Hawaii I related to those very well. Thank you for making these. I'd like to see some paleo breakfast recipes. I tend to limit myself to eggs. I think there has to be more possibilities than that. In particular I'd like to see if there's something that can be whipped up on the weekend and thrown into a tupperware and taken to work to eat for breakfast or lunch. Thanks again!

these videos are great. well made, shot and edited. being that video is more my thing and not cooking, i'd love to see some sort of breakdown as to temps, recipes, etc. so i can watch the video, then read the recipe so i don't have to keep re-watching the video or parts of it to try to figure out what i'm doing.... you know.... hypothetically, cuz it's not like i've done that or anything.... anyway, maybe i've tried the chicken and maybe it was kinda totally awesome. thanks nick and friends! there really should be a food.crossfit.com with spots such as this on them.

p.s. i'd be happy to be involved in such a web endeavor if it were ever deemed to be done! Hazzah!!!!

As for feedback, it would be ace to see a mini-series of 'lunchbox favourites'. Quick, easy to prepare in the morning, tasty and nutritional things to pack up in a box and get out at your desk / workplace would be great. Thanks for all the stuff so far!

Great so far. I love the simplicity of them, no numerical measurements, no time frames. Keep the videos now about *how* to cook but *what* to cook. People can learn how on a million and ten different websites out there, however the *what* actually goes into a pan, and the why, is much harder to come by.

I have been loving the videos! I enjoy these more than any cooking shows on TV. You are very clear with how you talk about how to cook and prepare the food. I have tried several of the recipes and they are wonderful! Keep it up!

Personally, I don't have a problem with meats and fats in my diet, but I do need some new, simple ideas for vegetables so that I can get in a wide variety.

NICK-o-rama...
Your Killing it! We all love the series please DONT STOP. I've always been a great cook, you've turned it up a notch. Keep the simple dishes coming. Salsa ideas? Chicken breast seem to be a staple in the Paleo diet, any nick-o-rama twisted ideas for that?

NICK......Your video series is the hit of the Journal! The first thing I look for every morning is to see if there's a new "Nick" video recipe I can knock out in the coming week.

I hope the series continues....I would even go so far as to say I would pay MORE for my Journal subscription JUST to keep the series going. Nutrition is a critical component to Crossfit...and you make it easy to follow and create new ideas! Keep 'em coming. Oh ya...and printed recipe cards with amounts/weights would be a great addition!

Thanks for all of the recipes. The issue I come across with most of my clients is not being comfortable in the kitchen. Would you do a video on some techniques or some do and don't to build up a new cooker's confidence?

This is by far one of the best series in the Journal!! My number one suggestion is to just keep them coming!! All the recipes I've tried from this series have been amazing.

Just to echo a few suggestions already mentioned above I think printable recipe cards, easy snack ideas, breakfasts, grilling/beef recipes, more kitchen skills, and shopping tips would be great. Also I love the idea of tying in the zone and block concepts into this. Thanks again for this great series!!

Nick, I'll echo what most others have said already -- this is a great series of videos! As the chef (no formal training) at my house I really appreciate tips on technique and ideas for new seasonings. For example, I'm now hooked on Sambal, which I had never used before making the Thai Turkey Wraps (which my wife and I both agreed was the best new thing we've had in a long time). That's what a professional like you brings to a relatively simple preparation like the wraps -- the cilantro, Sambal and other seasonings combined with the cashews on top really gives the dish a complexity and combination of flavors and textures that I as a home cook would not have thought to do.

Do you have any ideas for Zone/Paleo friendly breakfast items? Anything that can be prepared in advance in quantity, and perhaps even something that would travel well for being away from home?

Nick, most people think they know how to cook a perfect steak but they're actually murdering an excellent cut of beef with marinades and rubs. Can you show us a proper steak dinner with Paleo friendly sides?

These are great. I have watched every one. Here are ideas for more:
- more shopping
- "Nick Around the World" ... a healthy meal from every culture
- tools of the trade (from most used to most obscure)
- snacks
- packing lunches
- fish and more fish

To echo all the comments, these videos are great! I've tried almost every one, usually with success. Your ability to make the complex simple is awesome.

It would be great to see:

1) Breakfast ideas
2) More vegetable ideas to mix up the standard salad/sauteed veggies
3) Any quick tips to make the cooking process faster/easier
4) Your "go-to" dishes -- what do you fall back on when you're in the middle of a busy week or after a long day of work?

Great recipe Nick I have enjoyed all your recipes so far. Need to echo a lot of the other comments -- printable recipe, some of the ingredients I am not so familiar with. I'd like to see a simple appetizer for a large group.

I wish you start a blog similar to KStar's mobility wod. Maybe once a week you could do a new dish, segment about shopping recipe strategies, or whatever. Like many of us, I struggle to get the whole family on board. It's a huge change in lifestyle for my wife. Anyway, I digress. keep it comin from Colorado.

The series is awesome1 I have cooked every recipe and each was delicious. But talking more about the Zone blocks and Paleo sounds great! Keep up the great work it makes eating properly way easier when you dont have to think of your own recipes everyday

I use a Vita-Prep 3 as my personal blender. It has a 3 horse power motor which spins at a swift 37,000 RPMs when on high speed. It also has a variable speed setting, which is nice. If you are not willing to fork over the $400-$500 for this model, a simple 1HP bar blender from a restaurant supply store works as well. You can find these with the variable speed option for around $100. Hope this helps!

Richard,
You can add lime juice, but it is not recommended. If you choose to, add it only at the last second and only to the tuna that you are going to consume immediately. Lemon and lime juice denatures protein almost instantly, so if it has any time at all, it will begin "cook" the fish and give you more of a ceviche type consistency, which isn't quite desireable with tuna.
Yes, there is oil in the pan when searing the tuna. I used olive oil, but a combination of canola and toasted sesame oil is nice too. You can also coat the tuna in black and white sesame seeds for a little twist.
Good Luck!

Great video's Nick! I'd really like to see your take on how to best prepare meals for the weeks. For people that don't have much free time. I'd like to make a big batch of something on Sunday, and divvy it up to lunches/snacks/dinner for several days.

Great videos!! For those of us that work a 9-5 it would be great to see some meals that we can prep once or twice a week and pack for work. I struggle to come up with breakfast and lunch ideas I can take along with me. Thanks!

Nick, thank you so much for all the videos. They really have re-inspired me to get back in the kitchen and cook for my family. Where I live it seems that fish is king, (especially Halibut) and I would love to see what you could come up with.

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